An increasing number of lighting devices utilizing LEDs have been introduced in the recent past. Many of these devices serve as replacements for incandescent or fluorescent lamps. Since most LEDs emit light in a very narrow range (most LEDs are considered to be single color emitters) it has been necessary to combine various colors (e.g., for example, red, green and blue) to provide white light. Recent advances in LEDs have provided LEDs that emit strongly in the blue and UV range such that, when combined with phosphors that emit in the yellow region of the spectrum, provide an acceptable version of white light. Current methods of providing the phosphor component include applying a phosphor-containing silicone encapsulant; phosphor-coated or phosphor-filled plastic sheets; or phosphor-ceramic compositions. In all of these former constructions it is very difficult to control the dimensions of phosphor-containing elements. Also, since many LED devices include a hollow package, which is subsequently filled with a transparent optical medium, the occasional introduction of air bubbles at the interface between the phosphor-containing element and the optical medium presents the industry with maintenance and quality control issues.